The present invention deals primarily with compound archery bows, generally including a bow frame having a riser and two bow limbs, plus a cable system on the frame mounted to at least two rotational elements such as wheels. For a bow to tune and shoot properly, it is necessary to have the centerlines of the limbs and riser substantially aligned in the same vertical plane. If the centerlines are out of plane such that the limb leans, it will either create excess string clearance in relationship to the riser, which will make the arrow hard to tune, or there will be insufficient clearance, which will allow the vanes or feathers to strike the riser as the arrow exits the bow. It is also important for the limbs to be securely mounted to the riser to prevent movement of the limb ends.
The alignment of the limbs and riser depends on the engagement of the limb to the limb cup and the limb cup to the riser. One past method of aligning the limb to the limb cup used spherical balls placed between the portions to engage the limb with the limb cup. In order to do this, it was necessary to machine concave detents in the limb to engage the balls. Matching detents were machined in the limb cup. This had detrimental effects on the limb because the detents cut the fibers in the limb and created an area that could potentially fail when the limb was flexed.
Another method of locating limbs and the limb cup involved engaging the limb sides with the limb cup. The opposing sides of the limb and limb cup were machined to substantially the same dimension for the limb to be held between the limb cup sides. If the limb cup was not machined to the exact dimension of the limb there would either be excessive clearance which meant the limb would lean, or if the limb cup was machined undersize, the limb would not fit in the limb cup.
It is also important to ensure that adequate contact area and engagement between the limb, riser, and limb cup is maintained. If there is excessive or insufficient contact and engagement, the limb end may flex in relation to the limb cup, which may interfere with the correct functioning of the bow.
An improved bow limb locating system is desired.